ST. ANDREWS, Man. — RCMP say a plane that crashed near a small airport north of Winnipeg, killing the pilot, had been taken without the owner's consent.
Police say the 29-year-old man from Thunder Bay, Ont., was a licensed pilot who knew the owner.
Officers were called to the crash site near St. Andrews Airport about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Pictures from reporters at the scene showed the shattered wreckage of the single-engine Beech A23-19 strewn across Highway 8.
The highway, which leads from Winnipeg north to Gimli, had to be closed in both directions.
Police said there are no indications anyone else was on board.
The RCMP and Transportation Safety Board are working together on the investigation.
A spokesman with STARS air ambulance said one of its helicopters was initially dispatched to the crash site, but did not land because it was not medically required.
The St. Andrews Airport is a small, not-for-profit, community-owned airport just north of Winnipeg city limits.
On its website, it says it is a certified pilot training facility and is home to two companies that train pilots.
It also lists several charter companies as its tenants.
(The Canadian Press, CTV Winnipeg)
The Canadian Press
